Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

The German Federal Government has included Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to the German safe list, reducing COVID-19 implemented restrictions for travellers. The news follows the previous inclusions of Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia to the list. The reduction in restrictions applies to all travellers twelve years and above regardless of individual vaccination status, with visitors now able to provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of travel, a valid vaccination certificate, or proof of recovery. “The new travel regulations for GCC visitors makes travel to Germany easier and more appealing for travellers,” commented Yamina Sofo, Director of Sales and Marketing of the German National Tourist Office. “The winter season remains an important travel period for Germany, and this news will support regional travellers’ interest in exploring the array of festive seasonal markets, spa and wellness retreats, and outdoor sporting activities across Germany.” The EU issues and updates its recommendations to member states regularly. The safe list is reviewed and revised every two weeks by the EU authorities and members states. For full entry requirements to Germany, visitors are advised to refer to www.bmi.bund.de.    

Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) kicked off its participation at Expo 2020 Dubai this week (Sunday) with an event dedicated to encouraging travellers to take another look at what the country has to offer as the ‘new normal’ emerges for world travel. Taking place at the Azerbaijan’s nature-inspired pavilion in the Sustainability District, the event provided a unique opportunity to discover how the country has re-focused its efforts on the expansion of its burgeoning sustainable tourism industry. Inspiring travellers to turn over an eco-friendly leaf was the overarching message conveyed, with key spokespeople, including Florian Sengstschmid, Chief Executive Officer of ATB, underscoring how sustainable tourism policies are crucial to future-proofing the country’s tourism industry and boosting Azerbaijan’s COVID-19 recovery. “Borne out of the disruption caused to the tourism industry last year, Azerbaijan has sought to embrace the new opportunities presented by people looking to travel more safely. We are extremely fortunate that our climate and diverse landscape make socially-distanced travel experiences possible, celebrating the very best of what the country has to offer. In doing so, we have been able to unlock the full potential of Azerbaijan’s diverse natural and cultural offerings, as well as the great talent and resilience of its people”, said Mr. Sengstschmid. “Expo 2020 Dubai provides an ideal platform to share our long-term commitment to sustainable tourism and innovation in the heart of its Sustainability District, and we look forward to welcoming new and returning Middle East travellers to see a new side of Azerbaijan.” Among many sustainable tourism offerings introduced at the event, Slow Food Travel was emphasised with a key focus on inspiring visitors to indulge in the rich diversity of locally-grown food. As one …

Tourism Malaysia held its virtual press conference at the third edition of the Gulf Travel Show with the most exciting news that Langkawi hopes to open for international tourists by mid-November this year. It was discussed that Langkawi will be the first destination to open to international travelers and six others are to follow. In his opening remarks, Noor Azman Samsudin, Deputy Director International Promotion Division (Asia & Africa), Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board shared that West Asia and the Gulf region has been one of the most important markets to Malaysia. “Summer has always been a key driver of tourists from the Middle East, however in 2020 due to the pandemic and travel restrictions the numbers deterred. Since the government announced its four phase national recovery plan which included national vaccination programme and keeping a tab on the daily rate of infected persons etc, however as the numbers have seen a decrease the country is now gearing up to welcome international travelers again to kick start from the island of Langkawi. Before the pandemic we had 31 flights per week from all Middle Eastern countries from UAE, Oman, Qatar, Iran etc so we believe that we will cautiously get there.” Speaking about the exciting news announcement Nasaruddin Bin Abdul Muttalib Chief Executive Officer Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) reiterated, “Langkawi is currently open for domestic tourism since 16th September 2021. Within this 26 days after opening for the domestic market we have received around 82,000 visitors so far which is an indicator of success. There has been no infection during this time and we consider that since 92% of the people are vaccinated we are ready to open for international travelers, …

Russia’s two largest cities will have the opportunity to learn more about the delights of Sharjah when Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) takes its roadshow to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Visiting Moscow, the Russia capital on October 5 and St. Petersburg, the ‘Cultural Capital’ on October 7, the SCTDA roadshow will highlight Sharjah’s array of attractions, with the aim of increasing Russian visitors to the UAE’s third most populous emirate now that travel restrictions are being progressively relaxed.  His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, says that the roadshow aims to reinvigorate Russian tourism interest in Sharjah and the UAE, with the country having been in the top three of Sharjah’s leisure holidays and tourism markets for many years, and with numerous Russian ‘repeat visitors.’ “Russia was one of the first tourism markets the UAE reconnected with as the travel restrictions started to ease, with our emirate remaining a hugely popular destination for Russians. In August, the United Arab Emirates entered the list of the most popular foreign beach holiday destinations open to Russians, subject to a PCR test or vaccination certificate,” said His Excellency. Since autumn 2020, Sharjah has witnessed an upswing in airline passenger traffic, with more than 400 flights between Sharjah Airport and 10 cities in Russia. Carriers making regular weekly trips include Rossiya, Aeroflot, Ural Airlines, Nordwind, Royal flight and Arabia. June, to the end of August this year saw Sharjah Airport receive no less than 70 flights from Russian cities. Among the benefits and attractions of Sharjah that the SCTDA roadshow will be highlighting for the citizens of Moscow and St. Petersburg include its blend of sun, sand and sea, which …

Tourism Ireland officially announces the launch of the ‘Green Button’ campaign as the island rolls out the green carpet to holidaymakers and opens its doors to tourists in the coming months. By encouraging residents to press the ‘Green Button’, the campaign delivers the message to ‘book now’ and creates a commitment to travel by pressing a green button – green being the colour of ‘go’ and the colour universally connected with the island of Ireland. Having prepared a wide range of health and safety standards, put the finishing touches to new hotels and other unique accommodations, cooked up unforgettable culinary offers and developed a host of great new experiences and activities, the island gears up to welcome Middle East residents once again. By availing of travel offers and ‘only in Ireland’ experiences on Ireland.com, visitors can look forward to exploring amazing coastlines and mountains, discovering authentic cultural life, and experiencing gourmet secrets. There are exciting ways to plan a trip to take in all of this and more on Ireland.com alongside a wealth of accommodation, outdoor and wellness, luxury, activities, foodie and other travel offers. Nial Gibbons, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “We are delighted to roll out our ‘Green Button’ campaign in the Middle East to re-start tourism. We look forward to welcoming visitors to the island of Ireland again to explore a multitude of unique experiences on an island that is easy to get to and easy to get around. There is so much to see, do and experience. Travellers can find inspiration for their next trip by visiting our website, Ireland.com, for a variety of offers on restaurants, hotels, leisure and outdoor activities such as golf.” …

Weather admiring the vibrant colors along the scenic country lanes or enjoying breezy and live evenings in the capital, autumn is a wonderful time to visit Azerbaijan. Summers in the country last right-up till the end of September, following colorful and chilly Autumn. With local residents returning to the city from the coast, life begins to bustle again in Baku. Mid-September is a perfect time to enjoy long walks along the Caspian Sea admiring the perfect scenery on the Seaside Boulevard or end up in the world-class museums or galleries of the capital. You might as well choose to get away from the busy city life and take either a road trip across different routes in Azerbaijan or join a hiking group, promising for a day of fun and fulfilment brought by conquering the magnificent Caucasus mountains. Either way, you will find yourself in a fairy-tale environment coloured with autumn shades of amber, gold or scarlet around lakes and waterfalls as well as the scenic mountain roads and pristine woodlands. While out in the wild, you might explore quaint villages like Khinalig and Lahij in the northern part of Azerbaijan, get to know locals and learn about their traditions. Autumn is also the perfect season for grape harvesting. When you combine this with Azerbaijan’s little-known winemaking traditions dating back centuries, you have a perfect chance of visiting some of the best wineries of the country. Meysari in Shamakhi, Chabiant in Ismayilli or Savalan in Gabala will certainly surprise you with their perfect climate and vineyards located at the hilltops of the Caucasus, producing high-level wines made from both European and endemic grape varieties.

The Department of Tourism in Philippines has hosted a series of three virtual dinners this year. The first Middle East CEOs Virtual Dinner was held on June 23, 2021 for trade partners from the Gulf while the second Middle East Virtual Dinner took place on Aug 18, 2021. This virtual dinner was for trade partners from UAE & Oman.  The third Middle East Virtual Dinner held on Aug 25, 2021 had leading travel agents from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain attending the event. It was discussed how GCC is way ahead of most of the world in terms of the vaccination drive. SanJeet, Director, Durga Das Publications – a market representative for the Middle East, opened the session by sharing the current realities in the Middle East market. The small get together was organised to provide a from the ground update on what is happening in the Philippines and its different islands and to stay in touch with trade partners. Daks Gonzales, Head – Product and Market Development, Philippine Department of Tourism – Middle East, said, “The good news is that we are definitely on our way with the goal of full vaccination of the citizens. As of now, 15 million people eligible for vaccination have been vaccinated with the two doses and another 15 million of the population have been vaccinated with a single dose. Our current supply is enough to provide all those who have had their first vaccination. They will receive their second vaccination in the next month or within this month. An additional 60 million vaccines are going to be arriving from September 1, 2021 which means that an additional 60 million or …

Boracay Island and Palawan Island are two of the Philippines’ many beautiful beaches. In 2020, Conde Nast Traveler ranked Palawan Island as one of the 30 Best Beaches in the World. Meanwhile, Boracay has been named Best Island in the World by the international tourist magazine, Travel + Leisure in 2012, as well as Best Island in the World by Conde Nast Traveler in 2014, Top 10 destinations to watch in 2016, and World’s Best Island Beaches in the 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards. The seven beaches include Bantayan Island, Cebu; Kalanggaman Island, Leyte; Secret Beach, El Nido, Palawan; Sugar Beach, Sipalay, Negros Occidental; Mantigue Island, Camiguin Province; Guyam, Daku, and Naked Island, Surigao del Norte; and Calaguas Island, Camarines Norte. New sites, such as these remote beaches that give the perfect escape from the sensation of confinement with wide open spaces and welcoming smiles from the locals, are included in the list of undiscovered gems. More fun awaits guests for their next beach getaway to these pristine and tranquil little pieces of paradise, with over 7,000 islands in a gorgeous archipelago. The Tourism Department, which has been awarded a SafeTravels Stamp by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) for adopting ‘health and hygiene global standardised protocols’, conducts thorough inspections and assessments to ensure that only those who have been accredited are allowed to open and receive guests. The Department is improving its health and hygiene protocols to guarantee that travel to these beaches is safe, with tourist workers receiving ongoing training and tourism establishments implementing standardised protections in their premises to protect their guests and employees. The Philippine government’s Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases …

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) announces its comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Destination Strategy that will see the nature-based Emirate become the regional leader in environmentally conscious tourism by 2025. The strategy maps out key steps for the Emirate to secure long-term sustainability that will drive overall tourism growth objectives and contribute directly to national and international climate change and environmental policy commitments. The guiding principles for Sustainable Tourism in Ras Al Khaimah include: delivering authentic tourism experiences through preservation and conservation, taking an industry wide focus that provides both economic productivity and sustainable development, improving the quality of life and well-being of citizens and residents with a community based approach and setting environmental goals based minimizing the industry’s carbon footprint and contributing to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Commenting on the launch of the new strategy, Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: “the far-reaching effects of the pandemic brought into razor focus the need more so than ever to accelerate our environmental tourism agenda.  However, instead of focusing only on one area – the environment – we broadened our approach to address all areas of sustainability ranging from cultural preservation, employee mental well-being to industry wide protocols and carbon emission goals.” He further added: “With the theme ‘Rise Together’ at this year’s Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), the time is right to signal to industry investors that sustainable considerations need to be top of mind for long term investment and hospitality development in a destination.” The Sustainable Tourism Destination Strategy follows the Authority’s earlier announcement of over 20 new sustainable tourism initiatives across the Emirate marking an investment of half a billion dirhams in …

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing and promotions arms of the Department of Tourism (DOT), announced the opening of registration for the 20th edition of the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX), known as the biggest government organised travel trade event in the country. For the second year in a row, PHITEX will be held as a hybrid event in light of the pandemic with Subic Bay as the new venue for the online business-to-business (B2B) sessions and networking scheduled to take place on September 19-23. This year’s theme will highlight safe, smart, and sustainable tourism as part of the TPB’s strategic marketing plan for the new normal. “Last year’s PHITEX was about pivoting as we had to face the challenges of going hybrid and leveraging on technology more than ever to conduct our business. Thankfully, it was a resounding success, so we are very much excited to pick up where we left off but with a clearer perspective this time around because we are not longing to adjust. We are about moving forward and making significant decisions that will create a better normal for the industry,” TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones said. PHITEX 2020 was held as a hybrid event for the first time in Panglao, Bohol being one of the first tourism destinations to reopen during the pandemic. Apart from the virtual B2B sessions, the event featured online games, quizzes, and a curated virtual tour of the City of Manila. The event also established 3,946 contacts, generated 1,205 leads, and secured 76 on-site bookings with a projected revenue of over PHP 42 million. This year, PHITEX is targeting more than a hundred buyers and sellers. Philippine …